The present invention relates to patient support apparatuses—such as, but not limited to, beds, cots, stretchers, chairs, operating tables, and the like—and more particularly to wireless communication systems for such patient support apparatuses.
Patient support apparatuses are generally assigned to a specific patient while the patient stays in the hospital or other healthcare facility. While the patient is assigned to a particular support apparatus, there are often one or more medical devices that are used in the treatment of that individual. Such medical devices often generate information that is usefully recorded in that particular patient's medical records, or otherwise forwarded to the caregivers. In order for that information to get into the right person's medical records, there must be an association that is made between that particular patient and that particular medical device. In other words, either the medical device itself, or the computer device receiving the information from the medical device, must be configured to match the data it is generating with the particular patient for whom the medical device is being used to treat. In the past, this association of medical devices to specific patients could be a time consuming process, particularly where there are multiple such medical devices being used.
In addition to medical devices, there are other situations in a healthcare setting where it is desirable to associate one electronic device with another electronic device, or an electronic device with a caregiver, or other object. Such situations arise frequently, but not exclusively, where the electronic devices communicate wirelessly. Because wireless communication often has a range that will encompass relatively large areas, a first device that sends out RF signals to a second device may receive responses from multiple ones of the second device—some of which may be in the same room, and others which may be in different rooms or other locations within the healthcare facility. In such cases, it may not be possible for the first device to determine which of the multiple second devices, if any, it should be associated with.
In still other situations, regardless of any association or lack of association between a patient support apparatus and another device, patient support apparatuses may include one or more electrical actuators and/or controllers that need to communicate with each other, and/or to communicate with objects that are either spaced from the patient support apparatus, or that are designed to be removable from the patient support apparatus. Often times this type of communication is carried out by wired connections. In some instances, however, there are disadvantages to using wired communications. Still further, there may be disadvantages, such as undue power consumptions and/or interference issues with using conventional wireless communication.